Daniel O'Connell: Finding the heart of his global legacy in Rome
2025 saw the 250th anniversary of the birth of Daniel O' Connell, one of Ireland’s most significant historical figures. An orator, political organiser and advocate for non-violent reform, O’Connell led the campaign for Catholic Emancipation.
Known as ‘The Liberator’, he was the first Catholic to win a seat in the British Parliament in more than 100 years. O’Connell helped forge a model of peaceful mass mobilisation that influenced movements far beyond Ireland and which continue to hold relevance for the current time.
As the year of commemorations drew to a close, the Embassy of Ireland to the Holy See in partnership with the Pontifical Irish College held a one-day symposium to remember O'Connell's connections to Rome and the Church.
Daniel O’Connell died in Genoa, northern Italy in 1847. Before his body was repatriated to Dublin for burial in Glasnevin Cemetery, his heart, in accordance with his last wishes, was removed, embalmed and donated to the Irish College in Rome.
Hear from some of the speakers, on Daniel O'Connell's lasting connection to the Eternal City.
Fr Paul Finnerty
'Welcome and Introduction'
Fr. Paul Finnerty is the Rector of the Pontifical Irish College
Fr Paul Finnerty
'Welcome and Introduction'
Fr. Paul Finnerty is the Rector of the Pontifical Irish College
Fr. George Hayes
Fr. George Hayes is the Vicar General of the Diocese of Kerry
Fr. George Hayes
Fr. George Hayes is the Vicar General of the Diocese of Kerry
Professor Patrick Geoghegan
‘Introduction to Daniel O' Connell & the 250 Commemorations’
Professor Patrick Geoghegan is the Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub, Trinity's Arts and Humanities Research Institute, and the author of an acclaimed two-volume study of Daniel O'Connell, King Dan and Liberator. An expert on constitutional nationalism and revolutionary politics in the 18th and 19th centuries, he was the organiser of an O'Connell 250 Symposium in Trinity College Dublin in July. He presents the award-winning Talking History on Newstalk.
Professor Patrick Geoghegan
‘Introduction to Daniel O' Connell & the 250 Commemorations’
Professor Patrick Geoghegan is the Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub, Trinity's Arts and Humanities Research Institute, and the author of an acclaimed two-volume study of Daniel O'Connell, King Dan and Liberator. An expert on constitutional nationalism and revolutionary politics in the 18th and 19th centuries, he was the organiser of an O'Connell 250 Symposium in Trinity College Dublin in July. He presents the award-winning Talking History on Newstalk.
Thomas O'Connor
'Dismembered bodies compared: reassembling the corporal legacies of Daniel O’Connell and Oliver Plunkett'
Thomas O’Connor is emeritus professor of European History in Maynooth University. He serves on the Fondation irlandaise (Paris) and is currently completing a monograph on the Irish diaspora in early modern Portugal.
Thomas O'Connor
'Dismembered bodies compared: reassembling the corporal legacies of Daniel O’Connell and Oliver Plunkett'
Thomas O’Connor is emeritus professor of European History in Maynooth University. He serves on the Fondation irlandaise (Paris) and is currently completing a monograph on the Irish diaspora in early modern Portugal.
Davide Mazzi
'"There is a great debt due to Ireland”: O’Connell’s European dimension and his oratory'
Dr. Davide Mazzi is Full Professor of English at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy). His research interests concentrate on legal, political and news discourse, which he has explored mainly in an Irish context.
Read Prof Mazzi's accompanying presentation>>
Davide Mazzi
'"There is a great debt due to Ireland”: O’Connell’s European dimension and his oratory'
Dr. Davide Mazzi is Full Professor of English at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy). His research interests concentrate on legal, political and news discourse, which he has explored mainly in an Irish context.
Read Prof Mazzi's accompanying presentation>>
Dr Pauric Travers
'O’Connell’s legacy for constitutional nationalism'
Dr Pauric Travers is Professor Emeritus of Dublin City University and President Emeritus of St Patrick’s College, Dublin. He is a graduate of the National University of Ireland and the Australian National University.
He has lectured and published widely on aspects of nineteenth and twentieth century Irish and Irish Australian history. His most recent publications include Donegal: the Irish Revolution 1912-23, and Parnell Reconsidered.
Read Dr Travers' acompanying presentation>>
Dr Pauric Travers
'O’Connell’s legacy for constitutional nationalism'
Dr Pauric Travers is Professor Emeritus of Dublin City University and President Emeritus of St Patrick’s College, Dublin. He is a graduate of the National University of Ireland and the Australian National University.
He has lectured and published widely on aspects of nineteenth and twentieth century Irish and Irish Australian history. His most recent publications include Donegal: the Irish Revolution 1912-23, and Parnell Reconsidered.
Read Dr Travers' acompanying presentation>>
Dr Mary McAuliffe
'Mary O' Connell and her role and influence on Daniel O' Connell'
Dr Mary McAuliffe is a historian and lecturer in Gender Studies at UCD. Her latest publications include The politics of gender and sexuality in modern Ireland: A Reader, The Diaries of Kathleen Lynn: A Life Revealed through Personal Writing, Margaret Skinnider: a biography and Legacies of the Magdalen Laundries: Commemoration, gender, and the Postcolonial Carceral State.
She is currently completing her book on gendered and sexual violence during the revolutionary period, 1919-1923, to be published in 2026.
Dr Mary McAuliffe
'Mary O' Connell and her role and influence on Daniel O' Connell'
Dr Mary McAuliffe is a historian and lecturer in Gender Studies at UCD. Her latest publications include The politics of gender and sexuality in modern Ireland: A Reader, The Diaries of Kathleen Lynn: A Life Revealed through Personal Writing, Margaret Skinnider: a biography and Legacies of the Magdalen Laundries: Commemoration, gender, and the Postcolonial Carceral State.
She is currently completing her book on gendered and sexual violence during the revolutionary period, 1919-1923, to be published in 2026.
Dr Eileen Kane
‘O Connell's Missing Heart, A Second Opinion’
Dr Eileen Kane was educated at UCD. She worked as a teacher and in the Department of Foreign Affairs, before returning to UCD to study History of Art.
Her research has centred upon the arts in post-papal Avignon, in Rome and in 19th century Dublin. Her books include: San Clemente, The Saint Catherine Chapel, Rome; The Church of San Silvestro in Capite in Rome, Genoa, and Art and the Eucharist, Dublin. Her latest publication is Stained Glass in a Dublin Church: Context and Attribution.
Read Dr Kane's accompanying presentation>>
Dr Eileen Kane
‘O Connell's Missing Heart, A Second Opinion’
Dr Eileen Kane was educated at UCD. She worked as a teacher and in the Department of Foreign Affairs, before returning to UCD to study History of Art.
Her research has centred upon the arts in post-papal Avignon, in Rome and in 19th century Dublin. Her books include: San Clemente, The Saint Catherine Chapel, Rome; The Church of San Silvestro in Capite in Rome, Genoa, and Art and the Eucharist, Dublin. Her latest publication is Stained Glass in a Dublin Church: Context and Attribution.
Read Dr Kane's accompanying presentation>>
Alfonso Apicella
Text by Dr. Victor Genina of Caritas Internationalis - read by Alfonso Apicella
"Human Dignity in the 21st Century, the Global Perspective"
Caritas Internationalis is a global confederation of 162 Catholic organisations working in more than 200 countries and territories. As an expression of the Church’s mission, it serves the poor, vulnerable and excluded, regardless of race or religion, working together for a just world.
Read the accompanying text>>
Alfonso Apicella
Text by Dr. Victor Genina of Caritas Internationalis - read by Alfonso Apicella
"Human Dignity in the 21st Century, the Global Perspective"
Caritas Internationalis is a global confederation of 162 Catholic organisations working in more than 200 countries and territories. As an expression of the Church’s mission, it serves the poor, vulnerable and excluded, regardless of race or religion, working together for a just world.
Read the accompanying text>>
Bishop Paul Tighe
‘Human Dignity in the Digital Age’
Bishop Paul Tighe was ordained in 1983. After studies in Rome, lectured in Dublin before being appointed as Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications in 2007, where he promoted Church reflections on the importance of digital culture and social media. In 2015, he was nominated to the Pontifical Council for Culture.
In October 2022, he was appointed as Secretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education. In January 2025, the Dicastery published "ANTIQUA ET NOVA. Note on the Relationship between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence."
Bishop Paul Tighe
‘Human Dignity in the Digital Age’
Bishop Paul Tighe was ordained in 1983. After studies in Rome, lectured in Dublin before being appointed as Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications in 2007, where he promoted Church reflections on the importance of digital culture and social media. In 2015, he was nominated to the Pontifical Council for Culture.
In October 2022, he was appointed as Secretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education. In January 2025, the Dicastery published "ANTIQUA ET NOVA. Note on the Relationship between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence."
Commissioner Michael O'Flaherty
‘Daniel O'Connell's legacy as we confront a new era for human rights’
Dr Michael O'Flaherty was elected Commissioner for Human Rights by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in January 2024.
He has served as the Director of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, as a member of the U.N. Human Rights Committee, as Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, and in various posts at the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, notably in setting up operations in conflict-affected countries. He is Adjunct (Honorary) Full Professor at the University of Maynooth and at UCD.
Commissioner Michael O'Flaherty
‘Daniel O'Connell's legacy as we confront a new era for human rights’
Dr Michael O'Flaherty was elected Commissioner for Human Rights by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in January 2024.
He has served as the Director of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, as a member of the U.N. Human Rights Committee, as Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, and in various posts at the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, notably in setting up operations in conflict-affected countries. He is Adjunct (Honorary) Full Professor at the University of Maynooth and at UCD.
